Lost and Found
by NettieC
Summary: My first SVU ff and it's a little rough around the edges. It's EO and oneshot. Read and Review if you can, advice always welcome. I put the scene breaks in and wanted the da da noise but you'll have to do that in your head!


Lost and Found

Thanks to Dick Wolf for the characters and for letting me play with them. This is my first SVU ff and I'm no expert in police procedures.

WEDNESDAY

0905

The beam of light which entered the closet through the keyhole was a welcomed sight for Olivia. She had spent the best part of the last hour trying to shift her blindfold and had finally succeeded. Grateful for a sign of life beyond the door, Olivia slumped against the vacuum cleaner which also shared her space. Her head throbbed, her neck ached and she knew the liquid trickling down her face was not sweat.

Olivia's hands and feet remained bound by the duct tape and were shackled together by a combination of chains and locks. The gag was tied tight and, despite all her efforts, showed no signs of give. As Olivia's mind swirled with images from her life the light beam faded. Her last conscious thought was how Elliot had been right and how she hated him.

PRECINCT

1010

"Where the hell is she?" yelled Elliot as he slammed the phone down. "Another bloody dead end!"

We'll find her, Elliott," said John Munch, getting up from his desk.

Captain Cragen opened his office door. "Right, everyone in here!"

The Captain leant against the front of his desk as Elliot, John and Fin stood around the room.

"We need to recap," said the Captain, moving towards the whiteboard. "Olivia left here at 1935 last night. She was planning to stop on 10th Street to run some errands. Her neighbour, um, Tim Andrews, says he saw her enter her apartment about 2100. He also said there was some commotion down on the street about 0130; he thinks he heard her door again about that time."

"I called past to pick her up at 0735," Elliot said, taking up the timeline. "I honked but she didn't come down. I went up and knocked on her door and got no response. I tried her home phone and then her cell, same result. I thought maybe she'd come in, but she hadn't."

"What were you two arguing about yesterday?" asked Fin.

"We weren't arguing, it was a difference of opinion," answered Elliot.

"About what?" asked Captain Cragen.

"I like Isaac Browne for the Gardyne kidnap we're working on. He has priors with the same MO, was in the vicinity and has no alibi."

"And Benson?" asked Cragen.

"Olivia was pushing for Shemar Washington said he fits the profile perfectly."

"Is it possible she went to see either of them?" asked Munch.

"Well, I've checked on Browne. He's in hospital, an emergency appendectomy last night. That just leaves Washington."

The phone buzzed. "Yes," barked Cragen. "Where? Are you sure? Okay." He replaced the receiver. "Olivia's badge was just handed to a patrolman at Lexington and 1st."

"1st? Washington has a brother on 1st."

Apartment of Donald Washington

1036

"Police! Open up!" Elliot pounded on the door. When it failed to open he kicked it in.

Donald Washington came to the top of the stairs. "What the hell…?" he began.

"Where's your brother Shemar?" demanded Elliot.

"No idea, man."

"Try again!" Elliot shoved him against the wall.

"I don't know, man. Haven't seen him in days. What's he done now?"

"We just need him to answer a few questions."

"Sure, you always bust in for 'a few questions'."

"All clear," said Munch, descending the stairs.

"Same here," said Fin, returning from the basement.

"You ring me if you so much as smell him," said Elliot, thrusting his card at him.

"What next?" asked Munch, as the group assembled on the sidewalk.

"Hey you?!" Elliot yelled to the patrolman. "Where exactly was the badge found?"

"I…I don't know," said the rookie. "I was at the intersection of Lexington and 1st and a woman just handed it to me. She said she saw it in some bushes on 1st."

"Where on 1st?"

"I don't know, sir."

"What was the woman's name?"

"I don't know, sir, I didn't get it."

"Why the hell not?"

"Hey Elliot," called Captain Cragen, approaching the group. "Olivia's car was just located two blocks from here. Driver's window was broken and there was blood on the seat."

"Olivia's blood?"

"Checking now."

"What on earth was she doing driving here at some god forsaken hour?" asked Fin.

"Something got her out of her apartment," answered Munch.

Olivia's Apartment Building

1209

While Fin, Munch and several uniformed officers conducted door to door enquiries, Elliot got into Olivia's apartment with the reluctant help of the building's superintendent. Everything appeared normal, nothing was out of place and there was no sign of struggle. He went from room to room and then checked her answering machine; there were only messages from him. He flicked through her mail – there was nothing there either.

Two hours of door knocking yielded little more than a basic description of raised voices, breaking glass and squealing tyres in the early hours of the morning. No one could say for sure they had seen Olivia or her car depart.

FRIDAY

1036

Olivia awoke to movement outside the door. Groggily she tried to take in the sounds beyond her wooden cage. She had no idea how long she had been in captivity for but her sense of smell was still working and the stench was strong.

When the voices subsided, she tried to manoeuvre herself to the keyhole. Looking through, she could only see the facing wall and the corner of a picture frame hanging on it.

Precinct 1100

"Olivia's been missing close to sixty hours now. We have no real leads, no hard evidence and no suspects," Captain Cragen recapped. "There's no indication of a struggle in her home but something compelled her to leave. Her car was found on 1st Street with a shattered driver's window and bloodstains which aren't a match for Olivia – probably the only good news so far. Her badge was found in the vicinity."

Fin stood up and examined the whiteboard. "What if the incident on her street was somebody stealing Olivia's car; she looked out, saw what was happening, grabbed her badge and headed down?"

"Somebody would have seen her," answered Munch.

"Maybe, maybe not, it was late," said Fin.

"If she thought someone was stealing her car why didn't she call 911 or dispatch? She had time as she was going downstairs," offered Munch.

"Do we know she didn't?" asked Cragen moving to his desk. The men looked at each other. "How'd we miss that?!"

Captain Cragen made a quick call and within fifteen minutes they had an audio of Olivia's call to dispatch. It gave all the expected details of an auto theft. However, just before the call was ended prematurely Olivia could be heard muttering.

"Replay it! What did she say at the end?" Elliot said, jumping from his chair.

"I didn't hear anything," said Cragen.

"I did! Replay it!"

After several replays it was evident Olivia was saying something but it was inaudible.

It took an hour with the technician to come up with the best version of the tape they could get.

"Look Captain, the most I can decipher is 'Elliot…wrong…damn you." The technician replayed the tape and the men agreed he was probably right.

"What were you wrong about, Elliot?" asked Cragen. Elliot shook his head.

"Your case? You said Browne, she said Washington – she's right, you're wrong?" offered Fin.

"Could be – but why 'damn you'? Was she talking about me or the situation?"

Captain Cragen shrugged.

1654

Alone and unable to help herself, Olivia was left in her own world and despite her best intentions found her thoughts continually drifting back to Elliot. They had been partners for seven years and although there had been difficulties over the time, she was closer to him than anyone else.

She had fought her attraction to him for some time, telling herself they were partners in the work sense only. She told herself her desire to be with him was based on the close and intimate working relationship they shared. They spent long hours together and could discuss anything with him, including the job. Something she couldn't do with people outside of the department.

In the swirl of confusion and confinement, Olivia realised her feelings were genuine – she loved him. Elliot was the only one she had ever let get close to her. He was the one she dreamed of and the one she wanted now. Once again, the injuries took their toll and she drifted into unconsciousness.

Apartment of Donald Washington

1832

"Shemar Washington, I'm arresting you for the kidnap of Chantelle Gardyne," said Munch as he handcuffed the suspect. "Read him his rights." Two patrolmen took Washington while the detectives took another look at the apartment.

"Elliot, you know we have very little evidence against him for this one or for Olivia. The DA won't indict," said Fin.

"I know I was hoping this would scare him. Olivia had it pinned on him all along and if I'm wrong…she's right."

Six hours of interrogation, threats, bluffs and some physicality which didn't make the interview record and the search was no further advanced. Captain Cragen called them in.

"I'd like it to be him, Captain," said Elliot, "but my gut still tells me it's Browne."

"Wasn't he in hospital when Olivia went missing?"

"Yeah, but still…"

"Okay, pay him a visit."

Isaac Browne was uncooperative to say the least. He offered nothing to assist the investigation and then complained he felt unwell.

"He's hiding something," said Elliot, walking to the nurses' station. "Excuse me nurse, when exactly was Mr Browne admitted?"

The nurse scanned his chart. "Um, he was seen by a triage nurse at 3.15am."

"3.15 am – Tuesday morning?" Fin asked for clarification.

"No, Wednesday morning."

"When I contacted the hospital Wednesday, they said he'd been admitted the night before," said Elliot.

"Sorry sir, they probably meant overnight rather than last night."

"Damn!"

SATURDAY

Apartment of Isaac Browne

0810

Elliot barked instructions at the mass of officers assembled on the street below Browne's apartment. "We go through this place with a fine tooth comb. We find anything that will nail this bastard!"

Immediately on breaking through the door the stench told them the outcome wouldn't be positive.

"Oh God!" was all Elliot muttered.

Within minutes the source of the offensive odour had been located in the bedroom closet.

"Dead at least four days," said Fin, moving from the repulsive sight. Elliot came racing in. "It's not her, Elliot, it's Chantelle Gardyne."

"Then Liv has to be around here somewhere."

Elliot opened the door of the hallway closet, the one he'd already walked past twice. The smell was not as offensive. He reached in and felt for a pulse. "Get a bus," he yelled. "She's still alive."

MONDAY

Hospital

1547

Since her discovery, Elliot had sat by Olivia's intensive care bed. When he knew they were alone, he held her hand and pleaded with her to wake up. In the company of his colleagues he was stoic and matter-of-fact about the incident. When the Captain ordered him home and he refused, the Captain took him aside.

"Look Elliot, you've done all you can for Olivia. You need to get some rest."

"I'll be fine."

"No you won't. It's been a long time since you had a night's sleep and when's the last time you took a shower?"

"As I said…I can't leave until she's awake."

"Elliot, you heard the doctor. Olivia has suffered severe head trauma. She was hypovolemic. The shackles constricted blood flow to her extremities so there's a significant risk of deep vein thrombosis. Her vitals are low and she has shown no response of any kind."

"So you're saying give up?"

"No. I'm saying go home, take a shower, eat, sleep and come back tomorrow. In all likelihood things won't have changed.

TUESDAY

0730

"You look a bit more human," said Captain Cragen as he rose from the easy chair he'd slept in.

"You spend the night?"

"Yeah."

"Any change?"

"BP and pulse have improved."

"That's good."

"Yeah. Okay, I've got to go. Call me if…"

"You've got it."

After hours of watching and waiting and moving out of the way of medical staff, Elliot drew his chair up alongside the bed and took Olivia's hand in his.

"Don't you go leaving me Olivia; you know I need you here." He brushed his hand down her face and gently kissed her forehead. "I love you," he whispered.

Captain Cragen, who had overheard, stepped quietly back into the corridor. He had always known these two were close as partners and had recently begun to wonder if there was anything more. He had asked Olivia straight out when she'd asked for a new partner but had been told in no uncertain terms it was a professional relationship only. Maybe, he thought, the feelings were Elliot's alone.

WEDNESDAY

0637

Elliot was home, getting ready to leave for the hospital when Captain Cragen called.

"She's awake!"

"Thank God! Is she okay? I mean is she talking?"

"She's doing much better than the doctors expected. She's talking and remembers some of what happened – enough to put Browne away. Her vitals are good but she's still a long way from a full recovery. The doctor said it could be awhile."

"Small steps – she's awake and that's the main thing."

"When will you be in?"

"As soon as possible."

0729

"Hey there, Sleepyhead, you had us worried."

Olivia gave a half smile but didn't answer.

"How are you feeling?" Olivia shrugged. Elliot looked towards Captain Cragen.

"Olivia's feeling like crap, it hasn't exactly been a picnic for her, right?" She nodded.

"Okay, I've got somewhere to be. Olivia, rest, take it easy and I'll see you tonight. I'm very glad to see you're awake." He gave her a paternal kiss on the forehead. "Elliot, can I see you outside for a moment."

"What is it, Captain?"

"Olivia and I were talking before you came in…"

"What, she talks to you and not me?"

"Anyway, I think she's feeling a little confused at the moment."

"About what?"

"About you."

"Me! Why?"

"Not sure – only that she said one of her last thoughts was that you were right and she, um, she hated you."

"She hated me? She said that?"

"Yes, but as I said, she's confused. On the tape she said she was wrong, you were right, damn you."

"But why?"

"It was Isaac Browne all along. She looked out and there he was flaunting Chantelle Gardyne's designer headband. Olivia went down and he grabbed her."

"That doesn't explain her feelings of animosity towards me."

"No, it doesn't."

"Does she want me here?"  
"You'll have to ask her."

"What if she doesn't answer?"

"Then you'll know."

After the Captain's bombshell, Elliot took a few moments to compose himself. When he returned Olivia's eyes were closed, so he sat in the chair beside her bed.

"I'm not asleep," she said, opening her eyes.

"Oh," Elliot replied, not quite knowing what to say. A few minutes of uneasy silence followed.

"Are you going to say anything?" Olivia finally asked.

"Are you going to answer me?" She nodded. Elliot took a deep breath. "Why do you hate me? What did I do?"

"Nothing, I didn't mean it that way."

"What did you mean? Olivia, look at me, what did you mean?"

She looked up at him, tears welling in her eyes.

"I…I guess…oh god."

Elliot took her hand. "Liv, it's me, we've always been able to talk, even argue, I thought we were close."

"We are."

"So?"

"So…I was trapped in that closet, knowing you'd trust my judgement since I was the one missing and you'd be going after Shemar Washington. Which would mean Isaac Browne wouldn't be a suspect."

"Yeah…and…"

"And I was at Browne's and you wouldn't be looking there."

"But that doesn't explain why you hate me."

"I don't hate you."

"But you told…"  
"I don't hate you."

"Then why…"

"Because it was easier to say than I love you."

"Oh."

"I'm really sorry but there you have it. Somewhere along the way I fell in love with you. I don't know how to change it, I don't know how to fix it and I don't know what to do about it. I'm so sorry, I really am."

"What are you so sorry about?"

"This mess! I can't be your partner…"

"On the job, no."

"And….I just…I just don't know…" Olivia turned her head and began to sob quietly.

"Well, Liv, how about you relax for just a minute and let me talk." Elliot sat on her bed and gently turned her face towards him.

"There's not a lot to say."

"How about I love you too."

"You do?"

"Yeah, crazy huh?" Elliot leant forward to kiss her.

"Yeah."


End file.
